What We Do
Bridge the Generations is a movement dedicated to changing the way society treats seniors through intentional programming, dedicated education and outreach, global awareness and a lot of human connections. We achieve our goal of shining the light on this wonderful generation by creating more connection and story sharing experiences. How do we do this:
Artist ResidenciesProfessional artists from Broadway and all around the country, come together and spend a week with the residents at senior living communities. They share their time and talents with the seniors in a morning and an afternoon session. The artists use special BRIDGE CURRICULUM to bring out stories from the residents involving their younger years, their memories, and their feelings. These stories are used at the end of the week, that culminates in a performance, mainly by the artists, but very often involve the residents too. During the week, the residents have done vocal warm ups, memory work, learned to tap dance using lap boards and tap shoes on their hands, and learned things about each other, all while making new friendships with the artists and sharing stories and laughter! This is a staple program to the BRIDGE way of doing senior care!
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Storybridge ProjectAn intimate connection between Artist and Senior. The two begin as strangers, and after spending 30-45 minutes each week meeting, either in person or over Facetime or Zoom, for 6 weeks, they have learned so much about each other. The artist then has the task of creating a piece of art for the senior. This piece of art will represent any aspect of the conversation or the new friendship or the senior’s life or story the senior has shared. The art can be in the form of visual art, dance, script, poetry or music. The art is then presented to the senior, and kept as a remembrance of their new friendship. We are hopeful that the art will bring joy to the senior for years, and then to their families when they have passed. The artist and/or the senior, have the opportunity to keep the friendship going after the project is complete. We hope that most will, so that the senior knows there is someone who cares. If you are interested in being a Storybridge artist, click here to be notified when our next round of applications opens.
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Songbridge Project This is also an intimate project that involves songwriting between a songwriter and a senior. We believe that seniors have some really incredible stories to share, and what better way to do it than to collaborate with a songwriter to create a song out of their story? It is our commitment to have the senior feel a real sense of purpose as the “co-creator” in his own song. The songwriter and senior will have roughly 45 minute sessions, once a week for 6 weeks. At the end of the 6 weeks, the songwriter will put the finishing touches on the song and record it and present it to the senior. Now there is a song that will be with the senior and his family forever. Who knows? Maybe there is a grammy in store for one of our artist/senior teams! If you are interested in being a Songbridge artist, click here to be notified when our next round of applications opens.
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